Skyscrapers are impressive structures. What does it take to design a building so tall? Engineers use strong materials and innovative design to push the limits of gravity. They use special tables to simulate earthquakes and test models of their buildings. In this project, you will build your own earthquake table and see how tall you can make a tower out of LEGO® bricks. You can even measure how hard your earthquake table shakes using a smartphone and Google's app.
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Do you ever feel like you need to move your legs faster than your parents do just to keep up with them? This could be because of the difference in leg length between you and your parents. How many more steps do you need to take compared to your parents to walk down the block? Can you use a walking test to determine how tall a person is? This science project will help you find out! You can even use your phone and Google's app to record the steps and determine the pace.
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Did you know that the United States jump rope record (as of 2017) for the greatest number of jumps in a minute is 372? That's more than six jumps a second! How close do you think you can get to that number? If you are going to try to break the record, it might be important to figure out how jump rope length affects your success. Try your hand at this skipping science fair project and jump-start your chances for a jump rope record. If you have a smartphone available, you can use it to measure…
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"Swing me higher, Mommy, higher!" Kids love to ride the swings at the playground. The back-and-forth motion of a swing demonstrates the physics of a pendulum. In this experiment, you will investigate the factors that affect the speed and duration of a pendulum's swing, also called an oscillating motion. You can even use your phone and Google's
app to record your pendulum's movement and determine its period of oscillation.
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Practice makes you better at most things, and knowledge makes practice so much easier! Can you swirl a circular toy called a hula hoop around your waist or arm? Is it hard? What knowledge can you apply to find ways that make hula-hooping easier? Physics! Yes, physics will help you determine what makes one hula hoop a winner and another a flop. In this project, you will create your own hula hoops, spin them, and draw conclusions. The road will then be open to your becoming a hula hoop expert. If…
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Phys_p088

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- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

You should know how to (or be willing to learn to) hula hoop around your waist or arm. Note: Hula-hooping is fairly easy if you have the right hula hoop for your body. This science project provides guidelines to make such a hula hoop.

Do you think you could build a car powered by nothing but air? A balloon-powered car is pushed forward by air escaping from a balloon, and it is fun and easy to build with materials you already have around your house. Can you imagine how you would want your own balloon-powered car to look? Can you design a car that will travel as far as possible? You can even measure your car's speed using your smartphone and Google's
app. Get ready to grab some simple supplies to bring your idea to life!
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Phys_p099

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Cutting some materials, like plastic bottles, can create sharp edges. Young children should have supervision when using scissors or hobby knives.

Have you ever wondered what sounds you can hear in space? The answer is simple: none! In outer space there is utter silence. There are no sounds of traffic jams or thunderstorms or crashing waves. No buzzing bees or babies crying. Just silence. In this experiment, you will discover why empty space is void of sound and prove it with the help of Google's app.
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Phys_p017

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- Less Details

Time Required

Very Short (≤ 1 day)

Prerequisites

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

Use adult supervision when using the stove. To prevent burning yourself, always protect your hands when touching the hot flask and make sure to avoid direct contact with hot surfaces and liquids. Be especially careful when closing the flask with the stopper as it might pop out again.

Alka-Seltzer® tablets fizzle furiously when dropped into water. The moment the tablet starts dissolving, a chemical reaction occurs that releases carbon dioxide gas. In this science project, you can even measure how long and loudly your tablet fizzes using Google's
app. Do you think you can make Alka-Seltzer fizz faster or more loudly by changing the temperature of the water? How big of a difference in the rate of a chemical reaction can temperature make?
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Chem_p027

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Adult supervision may be needed when working with hot water solutions.

Can you hear me now . . . ? Just how loud does a sound have to be for us to hear it? And how loud is too loud for our ears? Learn to measure levels of sound in this project, and discover the amazing auditory range your ears can detect in the noisy world around you. If you have a smartphone handy, you can even do this project without purchasing any additional materials, by using Google's app.
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Phys_p034

+ More Details

- Less Details

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Do not try to measure very loud noises (lawnmowers, chainsaws, concerts, etc.) for this project unless you wear ear protection.

Your heart starts beating before you are born and keeps right on going through your whole life. Over an average lifetime, the human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times. Keeping your heart healthy means eating right, not smoking, and getting regular exercise. Which of your favorite physical activities give your heart the best workout and help keep it fit? In this science project, you will use Google's app with your smartphone or tablet to visualize your heart rate and find out which…
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You can find this page online at: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/science-with-your-smartphone

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